Freedom of Speech

I rarely get a chance to look at everyone's blogs but sometimes I get a spare moment, although rare, to take a peek. Mikebspetpeeves.blogspot.com had an interesting discussion going on about welfare. I think some of the people posting got a little heated in their opinions but my thought on the subject is thank God we have freedom of speech. No matter what your opinion, no matter how one sided, narrow or twisted, you can speak it loud and clear in the United States of America. One reason I guess my mind is so much on Freedom of Speech these days is the fact that I am studying Business Law and we have been talking about it quite often. I wrote a speech for my Public Speaking Class on the war in Iraq and I went to Mikes web site. There are so many things that perhaps we could not discuss in person and the blogs allow us the freedom to open up a little more than perhaps we would in class. There are things that I hear every day that I don't like, but I would like it even less it we couldn't hear anything at all. One of the reasons I started this blog is because I got sick of hearing negative stuff constantly. I notice there have not been many people to my site and I think it is because I don't have any bad news or hotly debated issues to talk about. Thats okay, because this is my opportunity to think of all that is good in my life and I don't have to share it with anyone to be happy. It would be nice to hear how other people had positive things that happened in their lives, but it is what it is. My life is by no means a bed of roses and I find that if I look hard enough and find something positive to be thankful for it releases my tension, much better than complaining does. Well, its getting late and I have been studying all day so adios.

Encouragement

How many times have we talked to someone we thought might be a little down? We thought about giving words of encouragement but didn't. Every day it seems I am in contact with people who need a word of encouragement. That person is sometimes me. With nine classes and four midterms coming up this week, homework like you wouldn't believe, I am swamped. The thing is I usually handle it quite well. I work through the stress, push onward and get pretty good grades. I have a teacher in my public speaking class however, who either hates me or is just not interested in a student's best interest. I wrote an outline that I took an enormous amount of time to perfect, practiced my speech, and gave my speech. It was actually much better than I expected because I was sick. I had asked my teacher if I could postpone my speech till the following week when the second half of the class gave their speeches but she wanted me to give it. I had several people tell me it was really good. She gave me a B. There are other people in my class whose speeches were not well prepared for that got better grades. I wanted to cry. I can accept a lower grade when I have not done my best, but when people who are running way over their time limits, forgetting the words and stopping in the middle of their speeches are doing better than I am, it is very discouraging. I really think she doesn't like me. I am not a shy person about standing up for what I believe but how do you approach a teacher who doesn't like you and will probably dislike you more after you talk to her? I am not being over sensitive. I am being realistic. I thought about dropping the class because I want to be graded for my efforts and improvements by someone who is fair with everyone. I won't though, I will stick it out and do my very best and know in my heart I put forth my best effort. I guess the thing that bothers me the most is that I have many classes that are much much more difficult that I am carrying an A in. If I had a B in one of those I wouldn't be so upset because I would know why. Any way, I said all that to say this. It is one of my personal goals in life to try and uplift other's spirits. Sometimes just a compliment from the heart or a small word of encouragement can change someones day or even their outlook. One thing I really enjoy about our English class is that we all critique each other in a way that is helpful and not downgrading. We each give compliments where compliments are due. If you get a compliment from me, it is from the heart. If I don't see anything to compliment, I won't tell you a lie, I just won't comment at all. Usually, it is not a problem because everyone it seems has created some very good essays. Soooooooooo, the next time you see a classmate or someone you meet who looks like they could use a good word, give it. You will make someones day brighter and in turn your own.

Spring Break

Well, spring break is almost over and it feels like it hasn't even started. With 9 classes I guess there really is no break. I have exams right after spring break so it is study, study, study. The good news is that I actually have time to study. I took my mother to the hospital for cataract surgery on Monday and back for a followup on Tuesday. She is able to see again which is great. Well since it is spring break, this is short and sweet. Hope everyone has taken advantage of spring break and are rested up for the 2nd round.

God Watches Over Me

Thursday night three of our calves busted part of the fence and got out on the highway. Our highway is well traveled and cars usually go by at 70 to 80 miles per hours. We immediately went out to try and gather them back in. I spotted two of them by the side of the road. I stopped on the highway with my flashers on and was going to direct them back in towards the field and away from the road but there was a car coming toward me. I stood in front of the headlights of my vehicle waving wildly trying to stop the driver long enough to tell him there were calves close to the road and to proceed slowly after I got them back into the field. The driver ignored me and swerved just in time to avoid hitting me. He went around me and accelerated and hit one of the calves. The calf flew over both lanes and landed in the opposite field. He got up once and then fell back down. He died a half hour later. There were other people luckily, who saw me try to stop him and saw him almost hit me as he went around me and accelerated. I was so very lucky that the car didn't hit me. The driver was issued a citation for failure to reduce speed. God was watching over me. Even in the lowest times in my life, I have always been aware that without God's intervention, it could have been much worse.